"You're selling me a fantasy that I want to explore It…read moresounds so good spoil me rotten to the core" (Rihanna) The Exploratorium lets curiosity run wild, mixing art, science, and hands on wonder into one big experiment. There are so many amazing exhibits here but let me tell you about my favorite one. It was an exhibit in a gallery dedicated to explaining and demonstrating how AI works and how it can be used. We were asked to make a drawing of anything, anything at all. I drew a house and a cat. Then we were asked to pick a musical style -rock, hip-hop, blues, kiddie songs, techno or whatever. That was all it took for the machine to take off into cyberspace. The AI gears whirred away and out came a song combining our drawings and chosen musical genre. Who knew a rocking rock song about houses and cats could be so great? They have six galleries with hands-on kid friendly exhibits covering math, illusions, technology, electricity, magnetism, biology, cell structure, light and color, sound, and social science. There are demonstrations scheduled throughout the day in these galleries, on topics including magic, lasers, biology, botany, and weather. So, if you've ever dreamed about seeing a cow's eyeball get dissected, well,,,, you're in luck because a cow's peeper gets dissected five times a day for your viewing pleasure. The Exploratorium was jam packed with kids having the time of their life exploring the wonders of our world. This big kid had a blast as well.

Still hands down our favorite science museum in the country. There is just so much to see. We used…read moreour ASTC reciprocal and needed to come back over two days and still only saw about a third of the museum. (ASTC allows 2 people to enter regardless of the home membership) Our favorite discovery this visit was the space exhibit (lots of interesting hands exhibits) and the AI portion - very cool live generated AI images based on found objects and generated music and artwork based on your own drawings.

I'm so happy I was lucky enough to experience this art exhibition and take in all the beautiful art…read morepieces picked out by Namjoon himself! I've been a BTS fan for almost a decade and this being in San Francisco was such a blessing and I'm so grateful to have been able to walk through it all! You can listen to RM himself talk about the art he chose and why if you choose to listen to the audio guide, it was a fun and unique way to experience an art exhibit at the SF MOMA !! I truly had an amazing time!

RM x SFMOMA on October 3, 2026…read more I am obsessed with BTS (hehe!), so as soon as I found out that RM, aka Kim Namjoon, was going to share his personal art collection with SFMOMA, I signed up to become a member and booked tickets to see his exhibition called "Between You & Me". As a member, I received a member magazine which had an article and poster on RM's exhibit, an additional poster of him alone, and I gained early access to tickets! RM collaborated with SFMOMA to feature 150-200 Korean artworks!! It was a beautiful exhibition on the 7th floor. What made it even more special was RM's audio tour. Yes, it was his voice!!! This exhibit was 2-years in the making. The only disappointment was the RM x SFMOMA merchandise. The entire brown collection was sold out. I was baffled because it was the FIRST weekend of the exhibit and it was already sold out!! Sold out to who?? Apparently, to customers online, and the gift shop is open to the public. I don't think it was right for ticket holders, especially ones who flew out to San Francisco, to arrive on the first weekend only to find out it was all gone. {insert crying emoji here}. The Cafe on the 5th floor serves wonderful food and beverage! They even have BTS-coded items on the menu. Make sure to spend some time to peruse around other exhibits at SFMOMA! And of course multiple visits to the gift shop, too. They carry unique items!! Parking was validated for a few hours. I think we ended up paying $15 for about 5 hours. I am hoping to return before RM's exhibit ends in Feb 2027!

I was absolutely blown away by the California Academy of Sciences. There is so much to see and do,…read morefrom fascinating exhibits to an incredible variety of animals. We could have easily spent an entire day exploring and still not seen everything. The only downside was that our child was too young for the planetarium, so we weren't able to experience that attraction. Admission is also a bit pricey, but once you're inside, it's easy to see where the money goes. Despite those minor drawbacks, the experience was well worth it. It's one of the most impressive museums and aquariums we've visited, and we'd definitely come back again.

The California Academy of Sciences is a perfect place for children and young families, but as an…read moreadult with neither I wouldn't recommend it for other adults in similar circumstances. To be fair, most science themed attractions in cities are often geared toward children. This was no exception. Usually I find something, though, that appeals to all ages which I didn't find here. I thought the aquarium would be the attraction, and it was a highlight, but I didn't leave inspired. I thought it was a nice aquarium but not enough to justify the price of admission if that was the only interesting attraction. It was dark, kids running around everywhere without a care in the world, people being loud. It wasn't the atmosphere I'm used to even when children are present at aquariums. I am noise sensitive, so I suspect the architectural design of the space did not assist me. A cacophony of voices layered on top of each other overwhelmed in every room. There was never a reprieve whether seeing the living roof or even going into the collections exhibit. I didn't last long. I left after a few hours, my head throbbing.

A beautiful and well maintained botanical garden. If you arrive between 7:30-9am you can visit the…read moregardens for free, this allowed us to save some money during our trip to SF. We enjoyed the different sections of gardens and saw many unique plants. I imagine visiting in spring would be spectacular. Parking was easy and restrooms were clean.

It's Mulch Better Outside…read more A nearly 100-year-old (ca. 1930) botanical garden located inside SF's famous Golden Gate Park (GGP) that features over 8,000 different kinds of plants in a curated 55-acre space. The Good: * Beautifully curated garden that's broken up by continent. * This place is huge! You'll definitely get your steps in walking around. * Signage for plant names isn't perfect, but it was pretty good overall. * Fairly flat and easy trails for almost anybody, from the very young to the very old. * Very cheap to visit in comparison to other botanical gardens at $15 per person for general admission. There are discounts for buying tickets to the three gardens (3-for-2) in the GGP, as well as an SF resident discount. The Meh: * As with most botanical gardens, your results may vary depending on which month you visit. We visited in mid-September and there were plenty of flowers and such, but I imagine spring might be better in certain areas of the park. The Ugly: * Locational signage around the park kind of sucks. Make sure to grab a map. Conclusion: If you're visiting the GGP, put this on your to-do list!

This was a neat store/museum! Employees are very nice and most things are priced fairly.read more

Massagers for your back, neck, head, and all parts of the body! Yup that's right, you learn all…read moreabout the history of the vibrator, from magical medical usage to psychological healing powers, seeing and reading about the technological innovations as well as the more typical uses nowadayz... think the Rabbit. If you don't know what that is, then work your way to the sex shop afterward (or before), since the museum is inside Good Vibrations. They check your ID at the door and make sure visitors know the store is education-based and you are encouraged to ask questions as you roam around. The museum itself is free admission and just a single room, but there's plenty to see, it may take up to half an hour, or longer if you're going to explore the items in the store as well. It was neither crowded nor empty on a Saturday afternoon, mainly couples just coming to check out the museum, but of course, making their way through the shop too. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but if you are in the area and like museums, or just looking for something in the adult store, then it's worth checking out.

I came for the Halloween After Dark where my friend presented. All of the talks were funny and…read moreinformative and well delivered. Very imaginative and fun! The drinks are crazy expensive but thats to be expected. The festivities around Halloween were fun - costume contest, pumpkin carving (though not enough for everyone), etc.

Many of the exhibits are closed. The place is super crowded and there's pounding techno music…read moreeverywhere. The only good feature was the food trucks.

Treasures of the Pharoah lasts until January 2027 and is worth a visit, especially if you like…read moreEgyptian art. Exquisite jewelry, statues, weapons and rare gold pieces are on display, bringing history right in front of you.

The permanent collection at the deYoung doesn't seem to change much…read more I'd rate the collection as just "OK". My favorite section is the Great American West series of paintings. Once a year, the "Bouquet to Arts" occurs in the spring, where floral designs accompany the permanent art - and it is spectacular and worth seeing. But, the big draw of the deYoung is the fantastic exhibitions that rotate throughout the year. I've seen a ton of them. Recently, I saw the Treasures of the Pharaohs. Well-done presentation of beautiful and rare Egyptian artifacts. Whatever exhibition is going on, check it out. That is the main reason to visit the deYoung. I've never been disappointed.

My friend and I had such a fun time here. We were lucky, too - it wasn't that crowded - so we…read morecould take our time and take multiple shots at each thing. I appreciated the example shots because sometimes I wasn't sure exactly how to pose. Customer service was good. The museum was fun. Super fun time. If I were to go back, I would bring a tripod. I realize this is weird, but it would have been cool to take more photos with my friend versus taking individual shots. One of the employees did come and take our photo at one of them, but it cost $15. I could see where this would be pricey if more had been taken, too!

When we went it wasn't crowded so we could take our time and take pictures. I like that there were…read moreguides on the floor that showed where to set up the camera. Also, it was helpful having sample photos up on the wall. Took 1 star off because it's a bit pricey. If it was a crowded day, it would have been stressful to take pics and take our time.

One of the most photographed... One of the most filmed…read morelocations in San Francisco. The Palace of the Fine Arts. Originally built for the Panama Pacific International Exposition - a world's fair celebrating San Francisco's recovery after the 1906 earthquake and fire. One of the last road trips we took before my husband passed. This place holds a lot of meaning for me. #fyp #traveltok #foryou #viral #CapCut

One of the prettiest and most photogenic places in San Francisco. The huge rotunda, the columns and…read morethe calm lagoon with swans and ducks make it feel like you've stepped into Rome... (water looks muddy though) Interesting fact: It was built for the 1915 World's Fair and wasn't supposed to last, but people loved it so much it was rebuilt in the 1960s. It's free to walk around, and you only need about 30-45 minutes unless you're into photography. Parking is mostly free street parking in the Marina District. We parked near crissy fields and just walked to this place. Weekends get tight, so read the signs for time limits. Great for sunrise or golden hour when the crowds are smaller and the light is soft. A must-stop if you like photos or architecture.

The opening is strong because the recommendation from strangers on the cable car explains why you…read morewent, and then you immediately stumbled into something you couldn't have planned: the matcha seminar. I'd also keep your reaction to Writing in the Rain toward the end because it gives the review more substance than simply listing the museum's collections. I met a mother and daughter on a San Francisco cable car who told me the Asian Art Museum was their favorite thing they had seen in the city. Based on their enthusiastic recommendation, I decided to go. Admission was included with my Go City pass. I happened to arrive just in time for the final seminar in a series about tea. This one was presented by Constance Tea & Matcha, a San Francisco company, and focused on matcha. We learned how differences in shade, processing, and the time-consuming grinding process affect matcha, and watched a demonstration before receiving a sample. The matcha was a beautiful, vibrant green and had none of the bitterness that I sometimes associate with green tea. It was an unexpected bonus to my museum visit and one of those experiences I never would have known to plan in advance. The museum covers the art and cultures of many parts of Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, India and Tibet. There is a great deal to see, so you could easily spend several hours here depending upon your level of interest. One of the most memorable works for me was FX Harsono's Writing in the Rain, part of a current exhibition scheduled through September 7, 2026. Understanding the symbolism behind the work gave it a depth that stayed with me after I left. The bottom level also had an arts-and-crafts area, and there were tables in the atrium where visitors could learn and play mahjong. I liked that the museum provided opportunities to participate in Asian culture rather than only viewing objects behind glass. There is also a gift shop and a restaurant with reasonably priced and interesting choices, including chicken, pork and beef dishes. I'm glad I listened to two strangers on a cable car. Between the matcha demonstration, the extensive Asian art collections, the cultural activities and the thought-provoking contemporary art, the Asian Art Museum offered much more than I had expected. Sometimes the best travel recommendations come from the people you happen to meet along the way.

I revisited the Asian Art Museum recently for its community day on the first Sunday of the month…read more I'm not sure if there was a special exhibit, but there were many events happening at the museum - sip & sketch and a children's activity. I also saw signage for weekly mahjong happy hours and performances - it's so cool how the museum has become a community gathering place. I spent about an hour exploring the permanent collection and never fail to discover new treasures. I'm always amazed by the expansive collection of pottery and statues across cultures. If you time it right, joining one of the docent-guides tours would be a neat way to experience the collection.